The
Municipality of Campiglia M.ma includes two towns: Campiglia,
the administrative centre placed on two peaks whose highest
spot is at 280 metres above sea-level, and Venturina,
, little town in the plain, which has been developing
since the beginning of the 20th century, mainly around
the Aurelia road, close to the crossing for Piombino.
The municipal territory extends in the Cornia valley,
between the hill and the plain, facing the coastal strip
from Follonica Gulf to San Vincenzo coast.
From the hills around Campiglia, which are included in
the path of the Strada
del Vino Costa degli Etruschi, you can enjoy
a lovely view of the
Arcipelago Toscano and of northern
Corsica.
The human presence in the territory goes back to
a period between 90,000 and 35,000 years ago, but the
most important settlement traces date from the beginning
of the Etruscan period, whose foundries,
located at
Madonna
di Fucinaia, next to S.
Silvestro archaeological and mining park are
the remaining example. The Park was opened in 1996 and
includes some of the most remarkable monuments of the
area. The
Fort of San Silvestro, was excavated by the
archaeologists of Siena University; it is a little village
created in the 10th century and which was active until
the middle of the 14th for the exploitation of the mining
veins and the production of metals and silver for the
Mint in Pisa.
The park, that is an integral part of the Cornia Valley
Park System, includes not only the little village with
the church and the castle, but also the Museum of the
Mine, made out of the buildings of the 19th century mines,
and a path of 360 metres excavated in a tunnel where you
can see the different mining phases from the 15th to the
20th century, as the same tunnel was used during different
historical periods. All that is placed in a hilly landscape
where nature offers meadows of lilies and wild orchids
coming out of the limestone; anemones, crocuses, cornflowers
in the damp underwood in the Temperino Valley and more
or less difficult paths obtained from the old ways of
access to the mines.
Even the old town in Campiglia whose first
traces date back to the beginning of the 11th century,
is, in its totality, a monumental reference point, including
the Rocca,
la
the San Giovanni paris church and the famous
Meleagro bas-relief, the
the San Lorenzo paris church and
its valuable works of art, the
Praetorian Palace and the armorial
bearings of the Captains, nowadays seat of the museum
of the archaeological findings of the Fort, the Theatre
of Concordi of the 19th century with an interesting
play-bill; finally an urban set-up where the medieval
houses-towers can be clearly seen in the successive layers
of the restoration works that resulted in the present
urban and architectural set-up.
Venturina is at 5 kilometres from the administrative centre
to which it is linked by a provincial road, flanked by
terraced hills planted with centuries-old olive trees.
The Museum of Labour Civilisation, a collection of over
10,000 pieces witnessing the everyday life and the local
history, is located in one of the stands of the Fair.
In Venturina there are also the Caldana baths with the
pool and the mineral water cures, and the Calidario,
tourist centre with the health lake where you can dive
in any season.
The two centres are included in a thermal park project,
which will enhance the urban centre and the numerous green
areas (urban park and Molino
Lake) and which will also contribute to integrate
Venturina in the future development of the valley.
Nel duecentesco Palazzo Pretorio, è di recente apertura
l'Enoteca
pubblica, un punto d'informazione e documentazione
sui vini e sul territorio. |